


One and Only

by Lapin



Series: Lovesong [4]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: M/M, Makeup, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-17
Updated: 2012-02-17
Packaged: 2017-10-31 08:37:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/342077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lapin/pseuds/Lapin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaldur'ahm returns to the surface world with a new codename and more secrets than Robin knows what to do with. Fourth in a series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One and Only

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with the DC Animated Universe, or their owners, Warner Bros., and express no ownership over their characters or universe. I profit in no way from the use. The title used is from the song "One and Only", sung by Adele Adkins, written by Adele Adkins, Dan Wilson, and Greg Wells, off the 2010 album "21", which is distributed under Columbia Records.

“Hey,” 

He was an idiot. He was a hopeless, wretched, pathetic, pitiful, idiot, and everyone knew it. It didn't matter that he was wearing a new uniform, that he had a new name and enough hair to put in a ponytail, that he had a seat at the grown-ups table. Because right now, he might as well be sixteen-years-old again.

Kaldur'ahm was even taller, if possible, and he thought he had to be about six-foot-five now. He was not as broad at the shoulder as Aquaman, his muscles leaner, streamlined, a swimmer's build, just like he'd always had. He himself had made it to five-ten, so standing in front of him was like deja vu, being a teenage boy waiting for his growth spurt.

“Kaldur,” He said, because Kaldur's grey eyes were on him now, blonde eyebrows raised. Beside him, Aquaman clapped him on the shoulder, said something stern in their language, and kept walking, leaving the two of them alone in the hallway.

His hair was long enough that he had it cornrowed, in neat blond braids.

“Robin,” He said. And that was it. He didn't say anything else. He was waiting for him to speak.

“It's um, it's Nightwing now.” He said, and swallowed. “But you know, you can call me Robin. I don't mind.” Because it hadn't been a codename in Kaldur's voice. It had been affection and familiarity. 

“Was there something you needed?” It was cold, and it made his stomach hurt. 

“I just,” He swallowed again. “I wanted to say 'hi'. Because you haven't been on the surface world in like, a year and a half. I missed you. And I was kind of worried.” He'd been missing Kaldur for a lot longer than that, but Kaldur already knew that. It was different this time though. This time Kaldur left without even saying good-bye, back to Atlantis for some mysterious Atlantean thing. 

“There was something I had to do.” Kaldur said. “I am sorry I caused you concern.”

That was it. He turned and walked away from Robin.

“Kaldur,” He darted forward and touched his arm, feeling like an idiot with every ounce of desperation that dripped off him. But he needed to say something, needed to talk to him, and he wasn't sure when he would get another opportunity. 

Kaldur looked down at him. He was waiting.

“My birthday is next week.” He said. 

“Yes?” Kaldur asked, raising his eyebrow again.

“My twentieth birthday.” He elaborated.

He had Kaldur's attention now. 

“Robin,” The ice in his eyes seemed to have melted a bit, and for just a second, he was Robin's Kaldur. But in a flash, it was gone. “Robin, things are not as they were.”

“What do you mean?” His heart pounded in his chest, as fear took hold.

“I am sorry.” He said. “But I find I was unable to keep my word.”

“What does that mean?” Robin demanded, confused.

“I mean that my heart changed, Robin.” Robin's own heart fell, straight to the ground, and shattered. Or at least that was what it felt like. “I am sorry.” He said.

And then he was gone.

-

“Dude, I can't believe you've been holding on to this for three years.” Wally said, shaking his head in surprise. “I mean, the guy dumped you. And then disappeared on all of us.”

“Wally, you're not helping.” Artemis said, offering Robin a beer. He looked at it, and looked at her. “Oh, don't even, college boy. I know you drink.” 

He took the beer. 

“Look, I'm not saying Kaldur isn't our friend. He is. But dude, You can't just hold on to your first relationship like that. It's weird.” Maybe he felt Artemis' glare, or maybe he came to the conclusion on his own. In any case, he groaned, rubbing his hand over his face. “Okay, it's not the same thing at all. We never broke up like that.”

“What happened with you and Barbara?” Artemis asked, taking a sip of her own beer. 

“We kind of grew apart.” Robin said, with a shrug. “She kept saying I was too immature.”

“You?” Wally asked, with a raised eyebrow. Even Artemis looked confused at that one. 

“I think she was into this guy, from her criminal justice class. He's a nice guy.”

“That sucks.” Wally said. Robin shrugged. In truth, he and Babs' relationship had been kind of falling apart before he noticed her texting back and forth with some guy named Sam all day. He was pretty sure he hadn't actually done anything wrong, exactly, but then, neither had she. He thought maybe they had just gotten bored with each other. 

“I think it was for the best.” He said. “It doesn't matter. I guess I always kind of thought that after I turned twenty, I'd, I don't know, it's stupid,”

“Robin,” Artemis interrupted. “Please tell me you weren't just killing time with her. That's cruel.”

“No,” He protested. “No, I liked Barbara. I liked her a lot.” He just hadn't loved her, and vice-versa. They'd both known that. “I'm not idealizing our relationship or anything. I know we had problems. I know I caused a lot of them. But I'm older now, and I thought, I don't know, he would think it would be worth it.”

“Robin, don't blame yourself like that.” Artemis said, with a sigh. “You weren't the bad guy. Kaldur lied to you, and that was wrong. I think maybe you should just let this go. You two could still be friends, you know. You were great as friends. I just think you shouldn't push for something else. He shot you down pretty hard.” 

“I think you're right.” He agreed, taking another drink. She _was_ right, he thought, That didn't mean he had to like it.

“In any case, you better be on your best behavior on Tuesday.” She said. “He's back on our team.” 

“Yeah, I know.” He said, and finished his beer. “Think it'll be okay?”

“You know Kaldur,” Wally said. “Nothing ever bothers him.” 

Robin wasn't sure how right that was. 

He didn't know that he knew Kaldur at all anymore.

-

Tuesday came, and it brought Kaldur. 

He had on a new costume, dark blue instead of red, but it still kept his arms exposed, and it was still tight enough Robin could see the outline of every muscle on his chest. It wasn't fair, really. 

“So, I'm betting it's not Aqualad anymore,” Roy said, smiling. 

“No,” Kaldur said. “It's Leviathan.” 

“Dude, cool.” Wally said, as Artemis rolled her eyes. 

“Kaldur!” M'gann phased right through the floor, and wrapped Kaldur in a hug that would have taken the air out of Robin's chest. Kaldur patted her on the back and smiled indulgently. “You were away so long!” She exclaimed, pulling back, still holding on to his shoulders and hovering a foot off the ground to keep them eye level. “What were you doing down there?”

“I am afraid my King and Queen required my presence. It couldn't be helped.” The answer satisfied everyone but Robin. Maybe because he was the only one who knew Kaldur well enough to know when he was dodging a question. And that was certainly him dodging a question. 

“It's good to have you back.” Roy said. “I've been stuck with these kids.” 

“Hey,” Wally protested, but Kaldur just smiled again, that same polite smile he'd been using. It was starting to annoy Robin. 

“Oh,” Conner had wandered in. “Hey Kaldur.” He frowned. “Is it Tuesday?”

“Conner,” M'gann sighed. 

Robin watched them shake hands, and watched Roy hug him. Roy was almost as tall as him, maybe three inches shorter, and built the same way, lean muscle on a long-legged frame, though Roy was more of a runner than a swimmer. 

“How's Garth?” Roy asked, and Kaldur answered, too low for Robin to really make out, something about an upcoming wedding. 

Kaldur wouldn't look at him, and it stung. Even if Kaldur didn't love him anymore, they had been friends once, good friends. He would take friendship over nothing. 

“You alright?” Artemis asked, angling herself so that she shielded them from everyone else. 

“Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?” He asked, and she raised an eyebrow. “Don't worry about it. I'm a big kid. I can handle it.” 

“Right.” She said, but she left it at that. Artemis was good at not pushing. 

“And hey, you're just in time to celebrate Bird-boy's birthday.” Roy said, loud enough for them to hear as he gestured over to them. “Finally going to be out of the teens.” 

“So I have heard.” Kaldur said, turning to him at last, grey eyes level. “My congratulations.”

“Thanks.” Robin said, in the best tone he could manage, not that it was really high-spirited. “I was looking forward to it.” It's an immature jab, and he regrets it the minute it's out of his mouth, but it gets no reaction from Kaldur. Kaldur was never the type to rise to the bait, in any case.

“Hey, why don't you show Kaldur which room will be his?” Roy said, making a show of checking his communicator. Robin thought his glare could have cut right through Roy's stupid, nosy skull. “I've got to take a call from the Manhunter real quick.”

“Sure.” Robin said, keeping his own tone neutral. “No problem. C'mon,” He gestured, and Kaldur followed, up the steps from the sunken main area, and down the hallway towards the living quarters. There still weren't many, because most of the space in the mountain had been allotted to other resources after the League moved out all those years ago. 

So that meant Robin had the unfortunate luck of sharing a small offshoot hallway with him.

“I know it's not your old room,” He said, just for something to say. “But Donna had to move into it. It was the only one available after that bombing incident, and she needed one. We ended up turning that whole area into a pool, actually.” 

“I never did like the swimming pools you have here on the surface. The chlorine,”

“It makes you itch.” Robin said, hands in his pockets, avoiding Kaldur's eyes. “Yeah, I remember.” 

They were quiet for a moment, uncomfortably so.

“Robin,” Kaldur said. “I hope that we can work together as a team again.”

“Hm.” He didn't trust himself to say anymore right this minute.

“Though I admit, I am surprised to see Red Arrow leading the team, and not you. What happened?”

“I started college.” He said. “I'm a sophomore. I can't do both at once.” He paused, and wondered if he should finish. “I don't want to.” 

“That is a shame.” Kaldur said. “You were a good leader. I thought you well-suited for it.”

“Yeah, well, you always know what's best for me, don't you?” It came out more snappish than he intended, but it managed to crack Kaldur's calm.

“Robin, are you going to insist on taking things out on me every time we're alone?” 

“I'm trying, alright?” This time, it was definitely snappish, only it was on purpose. “What do you expect from me? You promised me, and then you disappear for over a year, and by the way, if you thinking I'm falling for all that 'my King required my presence' line you've been feeding everyone, you don't know me at all,”

“I expected you to see through it.” Kaldur interrupted. “You were always more perceptive to my mannerisms than anyone else.” 

“Yeah, well, that happens when you're sleeping with someone.” 

“Robin,” He said, in the way that meant he was getting frustrated. 

“No, screw this. I can't believe I believed you.”

“Robin, please,”

“Don't think I was stupid enough to just sit around. I had a girlfriend.” He thought it might actually have put a good-sized chink in Kaldur's armor when he said it, so he gave it another good blow. “And a boyfriend.” It was something even Wally didn't know, that Robin had dated a guy at his school, a nice boy who wore his hair in dreads and had dark eyes and gauges in his ears. 

“I,” Kaldur seemed to gather himself together, and then he spoke again. “Roy had told me. About your girlfriend. I had not known there was someone else as well.”

“Why was he telling you anything?” Robin asked waspishly. 

“Because I asked it of him.” The way Kaldur said it was like a man beaten. “When I was away.” 

“And why would you do that, if you don't love me anymore?” 

“Stop it.” Kaldur said, in a final tone. “Robin, you don't understand, and I cannot explain, but don't assume you know exactly what is going on. Not now.”

“Don't condescend to me! I hate it when you do that!” His voice was raised, and he had no doubt that they had at least one eavesdropper, but he didn't care. He wanted to have it out with him, and it was best to get it out of the way right off the bat. “I'm not a child, Kaldur!”

“Believe me, no one is more aware of your age than I am!” Kaldur raised his voice too, his hands balling into fists. “I had been looking forward to it, more than you know,”

“Why?” Robin demanded. “You don't want me anymore, so what does my age matter to you?” He bit his lip, and crossed his arms, feeling like a stupid kid again. “God, it's been three years, and we're having the same stupid argument. Nothing's changed, has it? I'm still so hung up on you, and you're still treating me like I need to be protected.” 

Kaldur looked away, and that was the end of the conversation, as far as Robin was concerned. 

He took a ride on his bike, filling up the tank somewhere near the state line, before heading back. He took the scenic route too. 

Why did he still love him? 

He'd tried to get over him, convinced himself that he was just in the throes of first love. He'd gone out with Will, and Will had been great. He'd played guitar really well, and he'd been good to Robin. Everything had gone like how it was supposed to go. But even when Will and him had been in bed, he'd never made Robin's stomach flip, or his heart pound, not like Kaldur had. 

So they'd broken up, and some time after that, he and Babs had started dating. That had been good too, because he cared about Babs, or thought he did. They had been friends, and it had made sense.

Why did it have to be Kaldur? Why was his mind so set on him? Their relationship hadn't been perfect, not by any means. He could see that now. But it had been good. It had been really good.

He came back to the Mountain around six, and it was a good thing, because they had a call he was needed on. 

That when it happened, when Kaldur turned to Robin, and Robin knew exactly what he needed, without M'gann, without anyone. He threw down the smoke bomb without a thought, and Kaldur used it to his advantage, getting the drop on the morons they'd been sent to apprehend, just like old times. 

It made his stomach hurt.

He went to bed that night without talking to the team, and when a quiet knock came to his door, he pretended not to hear it, because he knew that knock. Just like he knew the look in his eyes, like he knew the nuances of his tones, the subtleties of his emotions, all without a second thought. 

Kaldur knew him just as well.

It was frustrating, beyond all belief, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do. 

-

His birthday came, whether he wanted it to or not, and he turned twenty at last. There was a party, among his friends, and he liked the attention, the effort they went through for him. 

Kaldur was absent though.

He wished he was surprised by that.

But when he went back to his room, at the end of the night, on his desk, something was there that hadn't been there before. 

It was a lariat necklace, made of threads he couldn't identify. Blue and grey, woven together with a dull green color. The loop and the small pendant were carved and polished coral.

He had spent a lot of time on this. Longer than he'd had since he'd been on the surface. This had been made ahead of time, made for him, specifically. Blue and grey, he could guess what those colors being interwoven symbolized, but he didn't know the green. 

If Kaldur's heart had changed, why had he made this for him? What was going on? What was Kaldur hiding from him? 

This was starting to give him a headache.

-

Garth was his best hope, much as that irritated him. Not that Garth irritated him, he had no particular feelings towards Tempest one way or the other, but just having to ask for help, that irritated him.

But hitting up Garth for information had the benefit of Garth himself, seeing as how keeping his mouth shut wasn't one of his strong points. 

“Whoa, where did you get that?” He asked, first thing, when he saw Robin's necklace. 

“You have to ask?” 

Judging from Garth's frown, he really didn't. 

“He just can't do it, can he?” Garth asked, but he wasn't asking Robin. “ _Damn_ it.” 

“Can't do what?” Robin asked. “What is going on?” 

“Nothing good.” He answered, gathering his hair back in a queue while he seemed to think. “I'm not supposed to tell you anything, you know, but if Kaldur can't manage this on his own, guess I have to.” It was exactly what Robin wanted to hear. “You know Kaldur's not a full Atlantean, right?”

“Yeah, got that,” He said, trying not to sound too eager.

“Well, do you know who his father is?” Robin shook his head. “Do you know who Black Manta is?” Well, of course he did, that was...oh.

Oh.

Garth met his eyes and nodded. 

“So,” Robin said, trying to process. “So what's that got to do with me?”

Garth shifted in his seat, then leaned back, using his knee for balance against the table. 

“I can't tell you. I mean, seriously, I can't. This is Atlantean business, and I can't tell you, or any other surface-dwellers. No matter how much you think you can manipulate me.” Robin scowled. “Yeah, I'm not stupid. I know why you asked me. But this is something I really can't say anything about.” 

Robin frowned, winding his fingers through the necklace. 

“I _can_ tell you what that means.” He said, nodding at the necklace. “So maybe you can decide whether or not you should be wearing it.” 

“What do you mean?” 

Garth held out his hand, and Robin obliged him, taking it off and handing it to him. 

“The blue and grey is for the two of you. I'm assuming you have blue eyes.” Robin really scowled now, pushing his sunglasses up his face. “But the green means joining. As in, the two of you together. This is the kind of gift you give a lover,” Hearing someone say that word in complete seriousness kind of made it less funny. “And I don't just mean the kind you date at sixteen. I mean the serious kind, like what Tula is to me.” 

“So why did he make me this? If he doesn't love me anymore?” Talking about this kind of thing with Garth was less humiliating than it would be with maybe Wally, or Roy. Atlanteans were more open with their emotions, not as likely to think less of a man for wanting to talk about feelings. It was still a little humiliating though. 

“Is that what he told you?” Garth asked, eyebrows knit together. “Wow, when Kaldur does something, he really goes all out, doesn't he?” He handed the necklace back to Robin. “Look, I can't believe I'm saying this, because Kaldur is going to kill me for it, but that isn't true. At all. If you don't believe me, the necklace proves it. He would never have given that to you if he didn't still care about you.” 

“So what is going on?”

“Can't tell you.” Garth said, with a shake of his head. “But I can tell you he has his reasons, and they're big ones. He shouldn't even have given you the necklace, Aquaman specifically-” Garth froze, then banged his head down into the table. 

“You suck at keeping secrets.” Robin said, smiling gleefully. 

“I know.” Garth said, his voice muffled by the table. “He's going to _kill_ me.”

Robin slipped the necklace back over his head, and got up from the table, his body thrumming with excitement. 

“Please don't tell him I told you!” Garth pleaded, but Robin was already gone. He had no idea what he was going to do, what he could do, but what he wanted right now was to find Kaldur. Find him and make him talk, tell Robin the truth, the whole truth. 

What he ended up doing, when he found Kaldur in his room, pulling a book off the shelf, is throwing his arms around Kaldur's neck and pulling him down into a kiss that had been too long coming. 

The book fell, he heard it thump on the carpet, but neither of them cared, not from the way Kaldur pushed him up against the shelves, Robin up on his toes, using Kaldur for support, Kaldur bent over to meet him. 

“Robin,” He heard, but he wouldn't let Kaldur stop. He was almost off his feet keeping Kaldur's mouth to his, and it felt like it used to, the way his heart beat like a jackhammer, the way he felt like all the air in his lungs was ballooning up, filling him too full. 

Then Kaldur broke away, still boxing Robin in with his arms, looking pained. 

“Robin, I told you,” He tried, but Robin pressed his mouth to Kaldur's collarbone, and he felt his resolve waver. “Please,” 

He let go and ducked out of Kaldur's arms, his quick eyes seeing how pale Kaldur's knuckles were on the shelves, and he shut the door, locking it. 

“Tell me what is going on. Right now.” He commanded, and as he did it, he took his sunglasses off, sitting them on the desk. “I mean it, I need you to tell me. What is going on in Atlantis, and why is Black Manta a problem?”

Kaldur's head snapped up, grey eyes wide, and Robin smirked, crossing his arms as he leaned on the door. 

“Garth?” He asked, and Robin nodded. “I should have known you would think of him.”

“You really need to stop telling that guy stuff.” He swallowed nervously, and uncrossed his arms, choosing to rest back against the desk instead. “So. That's your father, huh?” 

“It is not as though I know him.” Kaldur said, pushing off the shelves and running his hands over his hair. “I have known for a long time about my parentage. However, so does he, and he has never hesitated to use lethal force against me. There is no bond between us.”

“So what's changed?” 

“The brother of my King has become dissatisfied with his place in the kingdom. No, dissatisfied is not quite the right word.” Kaldur sighed. “He attempted to start a civil war in Atlantis, and he began with a failed assassination attempt on the his Highness, the Prince. Black Manta was the assassin.”

“Bet that didn't go over well.” Kaldur shook his head. 

“My parentage is not a known thing. Only the King and Queen know, among the members of the Court. Neither of them hold the sins of the father against the son, to my eternal gratitude. However, things are complicated because of this.” He sighed. “It was I who stopped the assassination. I was going to check on Arthur, and I found Black Manta in his room. We fought, and I managed to win, but not by much. He injured me badly, and escaped.” Kaldur pulled his shirt up and off, and Robin saw the new scar, long and obviously deep, that went from his left pectoral to halfway down his stomach.

He couldn't help it, when he stepped forward and pressed his hand to it. Kaldur didn't stop him, in any case. 

“How long did this take to heal?”

“Not long. The Queen's magic healed me in time to save my life.” There was a hollow feeling inside now, at the realization that Kaldur could have died down in Atlantis, that he could have been gone forever. “I tried to pursue him, with Garth and Tula. We spent months tracking him, but to no avail. Then, one night after another search, someone sealed my room, and removed the oxygen from the water. I nearly asphyxiated. So it appears I too am a target now.”

“Is that why you're on the surface?” Kaldur nodded.

“I was planning on returning soon, in any case.” He fingered the necklace around Robin's neck, smiling. “In time for your birthday. But when I asked it of my King, I was denied.”

“What?” Robin asked, anger bubbling up. “Why?”

“Because he doesn't want to risk anyone else becoming involved in this, especially not a surface dweller, and especially not Batman's protege. There are many other factors here beyond how the two of us feel about each other.” He sighed, and cupped Robin's face. “No matter how much I pleaded, my King would not relent. He forbid me to continue our relationship, until such time as this is resolved.” 

“Fuck that.” Robin said, but Kaldur shook his head. 

“Robin, he's my King.” 

“I know, but, fuck, I've been waiting for you for over three years,” It was so unfair, all of it. He hated that so many people had an influence over his life, that it couldn't just be simple, just be him and Kaldur. 

“The wait has not been any easier on me, believe me.” Robin could believe that, at least. 

He wrapped his arms around Kaldur's middle and buried his head in his chest, the smell of saltwater clinging to him, like it always had. Kaldur's arms came around him too, and he felt his lips on the top of his head. 

“I wonder sometimes, if all of this is the universe's way of saying that we were never meant to be.” Kaldur mused, his voice quiet. “Then I think of you, of how it felt when we were together, and I know this is just something I must overcome.”

“It won't be like before, though.” Robin said, his arms refusing to let go, no matter what his brain said. Not like his brain was fighting hard, or anything. “Less me pushing you to get my way, less you hiding things from me.” 

“I did not always mind your pushing.” Kaldur said, and Robin could hear the smile in his voice. “Sometimes it led to things I enjoyed.” Robin laughed, but his heart wasn't in it. 

“What could I push you into now?”

“I suspect you already know. As you always do.” 

Robin let go, but it was only to pull his shirt off before he sat on the bed, getting his shoes. Kaldur, as always, was barefoot. He hated shoes. 

Kaldur's hands took over unbuttoning his jeans, as he knelt in front of Robin. He pulled them off with his underwear, and just like that, he was naked in front of Kaldur again, just the lariat around his neck. Kaldur smiled down at him, warm and fond, as Robin undid the ties on his trackies, so he was bare too, and could climb into bed with Robin just like he'd done a thousand times before.

It was too easy to fall back into the pattern, too easy to let himself be in love again with this man. He thought maybe it was true, that he'd never really fallen out of love with him. 

He didn't mind that. 

Not even a little bit.

After, Kaldur held on to him, like he was afraid Robin was going to leave now that they were done. He wasn't planning on going anywhere though, not ever again. 

“I'm not scared of Black Manta.” He said, and Kaldur smiled indulgently, brushing Robin's hair out of his face. Some of it had come out of the ponytail at some point. 

“That doesn't mean I am not afraid for you. You are not immortal, and if he managed to do this to me, what do you think he could do to you?”

“Hey, I'm a ninja, remember?” Kaldur laughed, and ducked his head down to press kisses to Robin's neck and sternum. He'd always loved to kiss Robin, every part of him. Will had favored touching, and Babs hadn't been affectionate like that. Maybe it was unfair to compare them, but he had missed this, the way Kaldur was always attentive to what he wanted, was always willing to give Robin every scrap of the affection he so desperately needed.

“My people have a ritual,” Kaldur said, into the soft skin of Robin's ribs. “For adulthood.”

“Doesn't every culture?”

“Perhaps. But in my home, when you turn twenty, you take a journey into the caves with your mentor, or your guardian, and you must spend three days there. Your mentor, in my case, her Majesty, the Queen, administers a drink that causes you to fall asleep, and for the three days, you dream.”

“What's the point of it?” Robin asked, as Kaldur's mouth moved back up, following the line of his sternum. 

“The dreams are supposed to show you what's important to you, so that you may choose your path in life with a clear mind.” His fingers trailed up to Robin's neck, where the lariat had twisted and fallen into Robin's hair. He untangled it and pulled it down, so that the pendant was over Robin's heart. 

“What did you dream of?” 

“I dreamed of Atlantis. I dreamed of fighting, of battles. I dreamed of the surface, of the rest of the Team.” He pulled himself up so that he and Robin were eye-to-eye. “I dreamed of you.” 

It made Robin want to kiss him, hearing that, so he did. 

“Her Majesty,” Kaldur continued, when they parted, “She watched my dreams in her mirror. She saw you, and what you meant to me. When I awoke, her disapproval was apparent.” 

“Why?” He'd never met Queen Mera, and he had no idea what he could have done to make her disapprove of him, of Kaldur choosing him.

“Because she knew it meant that Atlantis would never be my true home again. I was born between two worlds, Robin, but she had always hoped she could remove the part that belonged to this one. However, my time spent dreaming has shown that I will live my life as I was born.” He smiled, and leaned down to kiss Robin again. “I belong to both worlds. You should know that she blames you for it.”

“Great.” 

“It is partly your fault.” Kaldur said, with a sigh, and Robin shoved at his shoulder playfully. “If I did not love you so much, perhaps I could be like my King, and remain in Atlantis.” 

“Do you regret it?” He wanted to know just what he was asking of Kaldur here, if maybe eventually, he'd end up being someone Kaldur resented 

“I will never regret you.” He said, and kissed Robin again. 

“So,” He said, working up the courage needed. “Does this mean we're together?”

“Yes,” Kaldur said. “But it will be like before. No one in the League can know, to keep it from my King's ears. After everything is settled, then I will tell him.” 

“I can take that.” Robin agreed. “Just, remember, you can't tell Garth.”

Kaldur's laughter rang clear in the room.


End file.
